Certain prior rail systems, such as longwall mining monorail systems, support electric cables and hydraulic conduits that extend from the vicinity of the longwall face to an outbye station. Such longwall mining monorail systems are generally dynamic systems in which, as coal is extracted from the operating face, the entire longwall system moves. Therefore, rail support equipment must move as well. The monorail system is, thus, a dynamic system and the design of such monorail systems generally accounts for continual movement of the longwall while the electrical power and hydraulic fluid sources remain stationary and are moved only intermittently. Due to numerous variations in geological conditions and customary designs of longwall mining monorail systems being used at various mining operations, longwall systems may vary with regard to physical layouts and dimensional constraints.
Hydraulic fluid is frequently conveyed from pumps to the longwall face along the monorail via hoses or other conduits such as pipe. Electric power from a power center to the longwall face is also frequently conveyed along the monorail and transmitted via electric cables. Typical longwall mining monorail systems furthermore employ festooning where flexible hydraulic conduits or electrical cables hang in loops as the monorail length contracts.
Traditional rail systems do not, however, permit transfer of tools, equipment, or materials along the rail, which is occupied by the dynamic cable and hose handling equipment. Thus, there is a need for equipment and material transfer apparatuses, systems, and methods associated with such a monorail system such that tools, equipment and other materials can be moved within the limited space available between the travel road access point and the point where the mining equipment is located.
There is a further need for a rail supported trailer.
There is a further need for a rail supported trailer that can move around bends and turnouts in the rail.
There is a further need for a rail supported trailer that can move around bends and turnouts in the rail while remaining within the allotted, available space.
There is a further need for a rail supported trailer that can be stored compactly.
There is a need for a rail supported trailer that can carry non-festooned cables, conduits, or hoses when deployed operationally.
There is a need for a rail supported trailer that can support festooned cables, conduits, or hoses when moving around bends and turnouts.
There is a need for a rail supported trailer that can support festooned cables, conduits, or hoses when stored compactly.
Accordingly, rail supported trailer apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein to solve the shortcomings of prior rail systems.